Chris Elsberry: Matakevich has trouble believing his success at Temple

Published 1:00 am, Sunday, December 9, 2012

His last final exam was in the books and Tyler Matakevich was enjoying some down time in his dorm room, under the covers. This was one morning when Matakevich didn't have to get up and go to class or study for a test or go to practice or watch film or do any football stuff.

He could sleep in. And around 10:45 in the morning, just as Matakevich was rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his cell phone rang. On the other end was Temple's Associate Director of Communications Cathy Bongiovi.

"Congratulations," said Bongiovi. "I just wanted to call you before the release went out at 11 ... you've been named the Big East Rookie of the Year."

Bongiovi waited a few seconds for a reply but there wasn't one. Matakevich was speechless.

"I couldn't believe it. I was totally caught off guard and so happy," Matakevich said by phone Friday morning as he packed his bags to head back to Connecticut for Christmas break. "I still can't believe it. I never thought I'd get a chance as a freshman to even play and to get that opportunity, I just was fortunate and I didn't let it go to waste."

Matakevich, a true freshman from Stratford who played his high school football at St. Joseph in Trumbull and later spent a semester at Milford Academy, recorded 101 tackles this season. He added three tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. Even more amazing was that he did all of that in the last eight games of the Owls' season, once he was inserted into the starting lineup.

Matakevich posted two tackles in Temple's season-opening rout of Villanova but then didn't see any time on the defensive side against Maryland or Penn State. He was still learning the ropes and just happy to be a part of the program.

"Absolutely, I mean after prep school, I came in and just started learning the playbook," said Matakevich, a former Connecticut Post Athlete of the Year. "Mentally, I was trying to learn as much as I could and hoped that I might be able to play some on special teams. It just turned out a little better than I thought."

The week of the South Florida game, Temple's starting middle linebacker, Olaniyi Adewole, suffered an ankle injury, and his playing status wasn't known until just before game time. When the training staff determined Adewole couldn't play, Owls linebacker coach Sean McGowan walked over to where Matakevich was stretching and told him he was starting.

A team-high 15 tackles later, Matakevich was celebrating a 37-28 win.

And just to prove that it wasn't a fluke, in a 17-14 overtime win against UConn at Rentschler Field, Matakevich made 19 tackles, a game he considers his best of the season.

"That UConn game ... I mean, after that first game, South Florida, that was an awesome win," he said. "And to be able to go 2-0 in the Big East and coming back to Connecticut, I couldn't wait to play that game. And when we walked off the field after that game, I couldn't have been happier with how we played."

At St. Joseph, Matakevich played linebacker and running back for coach Joe Della Vecchia, helping the Cadets to CIAC football titles in 2009 (Class SS) and 2010 (Class S). But a broken foot cost Matakevich the first five games of his senior season. So in an effort to showcase himself, he spent a semester playing for Milford Academy and getting his academics in a more solid standing.

Watching Matakevich on film, then-Temple head coach Steve Addazio loved his toughness, calling him "as tough as nails." It didn't take him long to offer a scholarship.

And it didn't take Matakevich long to start showing that toughness. The kid spent hours on end in the weight room, bulking up from 215 to 223 pounds. He also spent hours upon hours in the film room and studying the playbook, anything he could do to make sure he was as prepared as possible.

Eight starts and 101 tackles later, Matakevich is still amazed at what he accomplished.

"I guess I have, like, a nose for the ball," he said. "It just comes with hard work and good preparation, watching tons of film and having a good idea of what the other team was going to do.

"I just want to do whatever I can to help the team win. That's probably the biggest reason for my success."

Early last week, Addazio left Temple to take the Boston College job. Matakevich, who said that he was committed to the Owls, is excited to see who athletic director Bill Bradshaw brings in.

"I don't see myself going anywhere and I'm sure the athletic director will bring in someone who can do the job," Matakevich said. "He brought in (Al) Golden and then Addazio and both those coaches started pulling this program back up, so I can't wait to see who comes in next."

And see where he can take Temple.

"I just want to get to a bowl game next season," Matakevich said. "That's my goal."